A SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF IGBO SLANG EXPRESSIONS: A CASE STUDY OF AWKA SPEECH COMMUNITY

Abstract

Slang is the informal vocabulary of language, and it is used in informal situations, especially by particular groups of people. Slangs act as solidarity markers. They can indicate membership of close-knit social groups. Like jargon, slang makes use of regular word formation devices to create new words. By employing qualitative modes of enquiry, the researcher attempts to investigate the Igbo movement slang as used in Awka speech community. The research looks at how these words are created based on word formation processes as well as their functions, and to describe the social factors influencing the existence of slang. It aims at finding out movement slang terms used in Awka speech community; analysing them by describing their word formation processes, and stating their implications. Data for the study were collected by direct observation of speakers from football viewing centres, street joints and motor parks without knowledge of the speakers and for the purpose of no interference from the researcher on the collected data. Word formation process of Yule (1985) was used for analysis of the data. The research revealed that there are movement slang terms in Awka speech community. They are: waÌ€a, kpoÌ€li eÌ„, pị̀a tayaÌ€, gbá»Ì€waa dá»á»Ì€, tiÌ€do, gbaÌ€do anyaÌ„, meÌ€ghelie, bá»Ì€chaa, naliÌ€e, tụ̀Ỡdaụ̀n, tiÌ€e arụ, kaÌ€yị lụá», kaÌ€yị nwee, kaÌ€yị dụỠkii, aÌ€waawaÌ€, dá»Ì€á», ká»Ì€á». Affixation, multiple process, borrowing, clipping and coinage are word formation processes discovered to be used in the formation of these slang terms. This study is very beneficial to Igbo language experts, security agents as well as parents and society at large.